The Mad King eBook

“Stop!” cried Butzow to Maenck.
“Are you mad, that you would kill the king?”

Maenck lunged again, viciously, at the unprotected
body of his antagonist.

“Die, you pig of an idiot!” he screamed.

Butzow saw that the man really meant to murder Leopold.
He seized Barney by the shoulder and whirled him backward.
At the same instant his own sword leaped from his
scabbard, and now Maenck found himself facing grim
steel in the hand of a master swordsman.

The governor of Blentz drew back from the touch of
that sharp point.

“What do you mean?” he cried. “This
is mutiny.”

“When I received my commission,” replied
Butzow, quietly, “I swore to protect the person
of the king with my life, and while I live no man
shall affront Leopold of Lutha in my presence, or threaten
his safety else he accounts to me for his act.
Return your sword, Captain Maenck, nor ever again
draw it against the king while I be near.”

Slowly Maenck sheathed his weapon. Black hatred
for Butzow and the man he was protecting smoldered
in his eyes.

“If he wishes peace,” said Barney, “let
him apologize to the princess.”

“You had better apologize, captain,” counseled
Butzow, “for if the king should command me to
do so I should have to compel you to,” and the
lieutenant half drew his sword once more.

There was something in Butzow’s voice that warned
Maenck that his subordinate would like nothing better
than the king’s command to run him through.

He well knew the fame of Butzow’s sword arm,
and having no stomach for an encounter with it he
grumbled an apology.

“And don’t let it occur again,”
warned Barney.

“Come,” said Dr. Stein, “your majesty
should be in your apartments, away from all excitement,
if we are to effect a cure, so that you may return
to your throne quickly.”

Butzow formed the soldiers about the American, and
the party moved silently out of the great hall, leaving
Captain Maenck and Princess Emma von der Tann its
only occupants.

Barney cast a troubled glance toward Maenck, and half
hesitated.

“I am sorry, your majesty,” said Butzow
in a low voice, “but you must accompany us.
In this the governor of Blentz is well within his
authority, and I must obey him.”

IV

BARNEY FINDS A FRIEND

After the party had left the room Maenck stood looking
at the princess for several seconds. A cunning
expression supplanted the anger that had shown so
plainly upon his face but a moment before. The
girl had moved to one side of the apartment and was
pretending an interest in a large tapestry that covered
the wall at that point. Maenck watched her with
greedy eyes. Presently he spoke.